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Cyber Cranks Out Tubular Steel Cranksets in Germany, Retro MTB Gravel Forks & Stems

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With a name like Cyber Cycles, the strong retro theme is a little surprising from this new made-in-Germany component maker. But while Cyber Cranks and Cross Blade forks undeniably harken back to the early days of mountain bikes, both combine modern modular tech and performance in that good old retro styling. Build up a rigid dropbar mountain bike (or a gravel bike as we tend to call them these days) and Cyber will have your cranks, forks, and even stems covered…

Cyber Cranks modern modular tubular steel bicycle cranksets

Sour Cybercranks tubular chromoly steel direct mount crankset prototype #11
all photos by Cory Benson, c. Bikerumor

It’s been a while since I rode a mountain bike with tubular steel cranks – maybe 20 years or so? But we got a sneak peek last summer that Cyber was bringing sexy back. On a steel Sour Bad Granny belt-drive MTB singlespeed.

Now this year, Cyber Cycles has since rolled out 4 versions of their tubular steel Cyber Cranks. Each is welded in Germany from tubular steel. A classic no-nonsense crankset to finish off you custom commuter, gravel, trail, all-mountain, or enduro mountain bike.

Tech details

Cyber Cycles Cranks modern modular tubular steel bicycle cranksets, exploded view
exploded view c. Cyber Cycles

The Cyber Cranks are designed and fabricated in the middle of Germany, welded by life-long Italian framebuilder Stefano Agresti. Made of custom cold-drawn US-made air-hardened steel, Cyber cranks feature a standard SRAM 3-bolt direct mount interface for 1x chainrings. Or there’s optional machined alloy 110BCD spiders for 1x or 2x setups. The standard cranks use an integrated 24mm (Shimano Hollowtech 2 BB compatible) spindle. But this summer, Cyber also added a ST square taper version that you can use with old style bottom brackets.

Cyber Cycles Cranks modern modular tubular steel bicycle cranksets, Cyber Cranks OR off-road

Cyber Cranks are independently lab tested for strength and durability. But the cranks are NOT rated for DH or BMX, and have a rider weight limit of 110kg for their specific discipline.

Cyber Cranks – Pricing, Options & Availability

Cyber Cycles Cranks modern modular tubular steel bicycle cranksets, Cyber Cranks GR gravel

Cyber Cranks retain for 469€, without a chainring or bottom bracket. Lengths are available in 5mm steps from 160-180mm (and maybe outside of that range if you ask nicely.) Cyber also offers them in several standard finishes. Raw to see the underlying steel as it changes color when welded, but will continue to oxidize with time. Extra Raw which is more like a matte gun metal black look stat still reveals a bit of warm steel hues below. Matte nickel plated for a warm durable almost titanium-like look. Matte chrome-plated for a bit more shiny silver style. And gloss white or gloss black for 90s MTB bling.

Then, you can from 4 options depending on your bike and how you ride:

Cyber Cycles Cranks modern modular tubular steel bicycle cranksets, Cyber Cranks ST aquare tape

The Cyber Cranks GR are the lightest and narrowest for gravel (or road) with 156mm Q-factor, 46-52mm chainline, and a claimed weight of 475g. Cyber Cranks OR are the same weight and chainline, but wider at 173mm Q for off-road use. If you go big, pick the Cyber Cranks EN which use thicker, stronger arms with a 174mm Q-factor and 52-58mm chainline and a 520g claimed weight. Lastly are Cyber Cranks ST a good ‘ol square taper crankset that you can use with a conventional bottom bracket on or off road – claimed 460g and 145mm Q & 38-44mm chainline with a 108mm BB.

Cyber Cross Blade forks

Cyber Cycles Cross Blade fork, gravel and XC mountain bike fork with modular legs

Besides, those tubular steel cranks, Cyber Cycles also has a new Cross Blade fork, too. Developed as a modern interpretation of 90s rigid MTB forks, the Cross Blade features a burly CNC-machined alloy crown that clamps either replaceable chromoly steel or titanium legs.

Cyber Cycles Cross Blade fork, gravel and XC mountain bike fork with modular legs, replaceable alloy crown

Meant to be a modern alternative to carbon forks for gravel of rigid XC mountain biking, the forks can be built with up to 430mm axle-to-crown lengths depending on what you need. Up top, the machined 7075-T6 aluminum crown clamps to a straight 1 1/8″ Columbus Lite steerer, with replaceable stainless hardware.

Cyber Cycles Cross Blade fork, gravel and XC mountain bike fork with modular legs, bonded alloy dropouts

Then, you can pick from lighter and more forgiving 1.2mm thick 3/2.5 titanium or heavy-duty 0.9mm thick Columbus CrMo legs. Down below, Cyber bonds machined 7075 dropouts onto each leg and connect with a 12or 15mm x100mm DT Swiss thru-axle and flat mount 160mm disc brake tabs.

Cyber Cycles Cross Blade fork, gravel and XC mountain bike fork with modular legs, hollow crown detail

Internal able routing is possible through the fork leg with 3D-printed guides. And there’s even the possibility to store a mini-pump inside the right fork leg. Officially the new Cyber Cross Blade forks are not yet for sale – still in a development and testing phase. But we saw an early supporter head away from the Bespoked show last week with a duplicate Agresti bike to this one below, ready to ride. Official availability is slated for next month.

MTB & Gravel Bike Stems, too

Cyber Cycles Crypto steel gravel and XC mountain bike threadless stem, on-bike

Finishing out the modern retro kit, Cyber also has a few custom steel stems, too. A series of 190€ Roller Stems for either threadless or quill steerers feature an integrated cable stop and roller under the stem for canti brake routing.

Cyber Cycles Crypto steel gravel and XC mountain bike threadless stem

Or the 199€ Crypto stem, like on this bike, offers sleek old school MTB quill stem looks with the stealthy convenient clamping of a modern threadless stem

Cyber Cycles cranks, Cross Blade fork, Crypto stem on steel gravel and XC mountain bike by Agresti

Remember how we all keep talking about how modern gravel bikes are just rigid dropbar mountain bikes from the 1990s? Yeah, Cyber Cycles gets it! And make it by hand in Germany.

CyberCycles.de

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19 Comments
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Robert
Robert
1 year ago

My orange and black 2003 Redline Double X BMX bicycle has some of this modern retro – tech style components on it .

Roger Pedacter
Roger Pedacter
1 year ago

Those cranks… damn.

Good looking, reasonably light, and fairly priced. What gives? Creating a (seemingly) quality part and charging a reasonable price is also pretty retro of them

Booyah
Booyah
1 year ago
Reply to  Roger Pedacter

Is $500 a reasonable price for cranks these days? That puts them up there with other boutique cranks (5Dev, Ignite) and more expensive than other premium options (XTR, White Industries)

James
James
1 year ago
Reply to  Booyah

Reasonable based on potential lifespan, I’d say. Then again I’ve had 10 years from XT so…

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
1 year ago
Reply to  James

There are a ton of +30yr old, entry level Shimano cranks still spinning out there

Fättï Hügï
Fättï Hügï
9 months ago
Reply to  Booyah

Why anyone could be satisfied with square-taper now that we have the BB30-Magic 6spline-spindle to crank interface. Reason being is the common occurrence of even experienced mechanics not torquing a crank correctly the crank loosens and rocks rounding the square corners so that it destroys your spindle and/or crank. The Magic 30 six splines can loosen and rock and because the splines are already rounded they don’t round out of shape; like a river-rock, there are no corners to wear away. It’s an elegant solution. And we’ll see what Shimano microspline does if it were to loosen?

Kutte
Kutte
1 year ago

The Cyber Cycles parts are Agresti made, that’s right. And so is the frame. But it isn’t an Agresti Frame, it’s the Cyber Cycles Grawumm! gravel frame!

Astro_Kraken
Astro_Kraken
1 year ago

It’s like a reverse Wound Up fork and I’m all for it.

Mr Pink
Mr Pink
1 year ago

Rigid Drop Bar Mountain bikes aren’t necessarily the same as gravel bikes. Not by a long shot. Gotta brush up on your knowledge.

Go give the Drop Bars & Knobbies group on FB and Monstercross News page. Those two outlets do a lot to show what’s possible and educate. Check them out.

Burt
Burt
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Pink

Every bike can be a gravel bike

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
1 year ago

That’s a very wide q-factor for advertising a narrow q-factor

mud
mud
1 year ago

Good luck getting many short drop and curvy gravel bars to pass through that stem.

James
James
1 year ago

Love what these guys are doing!

Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict
1 year ago

Tange Switchblade fork.

FritzP
FritzP
1 year ago
Reply to  Eggs Benedict

And Cooks Brothers Racing!

satanas
satanas
1 year ago
Reply to  FritzP

And Bontrager…

FritzP
FritzP
1 year ago

Where’d they find the Speedplay Frogs?

DaveJ
DaveJ
1 year ago

Wavy washers = engineering fail.

Tom
Tom
1 year ago
Reply to  DaveJ

’cause frame manufacturers are really good about holding super tight BB tolerances…

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